Sheet and plate metal forming machine



May 19, 1942. w. R. BEATTY SHEET AND PLATE METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed March 11, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVE TOR. 96;

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A ORNEY.

May 19, 1942. w. R. BEATTY 2,233,310

SHEET AND PLATE METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed March 11, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 MLL/I/Y/EBFHTW A TORNEY.

y- 1942- w. R. BEATTY 2,28331'0 T D PLATE METAL FORMING MACHINE ATTORNEY.

Patented May 19, 194-2 SHEET AND PLATE META-L FORMING MACHINE V William RlBeatty, Hammond, Inc.

Application March 11, 1940, Serial No. 323,242

'1 Claims.

ally so that the center of the upper roll is nearly 7 in vertical alignment with the center of one or the other of the lower rolls.

Still another object of importance and advantage is the provision of means for moving the lower rolls transversely or vertically of the improved machine without disturbing the distance between the centers of said rolls.

A further object of importance and advantage resides in the provision of means for adjusting one end only of the arrangement of rolls without disturbing the other end thereof.

Another and further object of importance and advantage is the provision of means for positioning transversely movable roll supporting means beneath the lower rolls of the improved machine of this invention. 5

A still further object of importance'and advantage is the provision of means for altering the arrangement of said rolls independently of the operation of the improved machine.

Still another object of importance and advantage resides in the provision of means for providing a longitudinally slidable, hingedly mounted sleeve bearing into which is journaled the end of the upper roll.

An additional object of importance and advantage is the provision of means for arresting the outward movement of the supporting member of the hingedly mounted upper roll bearing.

Additional objects of advantage and importance will become apparent as the following detailed description progresses, wherein:

Fig.- 1 is a front elevational View of a metal forming or rolling machine which embodies the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the device, taken from the right end of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a fragmental portion of the machine showing a bearing for the upper roll in horizontal position.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken online 5-5 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a slightly enlarged top plan view .01 a fragmental portion of the device taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

'Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the rolls positioned to roll to diameter.

Fig. 8 shows the rolls positioned to form the trailing edge of a section passing through the machine.

Fig. 9 shows the rolls positioned to form the section adjacent the leading edge thereof.

As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally the base of the improved machine of this invention. The base It! may be formed of any suitable material such as I-beams, channel members, or the like, and is substantially rectangular in plan.

Projecting upwardly from one 'end of the base It is a standard l2. The bottom of the standard 12 extends from one side ofthe base ID to the opposite side thereof and is rigidly secured thereto. a

Projecting upwardly from a longitudinally intermediate part of the base I0 is a standard I4. The bottom of the standard [4 also extends from one side of the base to the opposite side thereof and is rigidly secured thereto. The standards l2 and I4 are in alignment.

Secured to the inner surfaces of the upright portions of the standards l2 and I4 intermediate the ends thereof, as is best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is a bed supporting member It. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the bed supporting members l6 are rigidly and permanently secured to the standards 12 and I4.

Operably positioned intermediate the supporting members I2 and I4 and having end portions thereof extending to a point directly above the bed supporting members I6 is a bed l8. The bed I8 is movable vertically.

Secured to each bed supporting member I6 and projecting upwardly therethrough to engage a portion of the bed I8 is a worm driven screw 20. The worm screws 20 are joined for synchronous movement by the shaft 22. The screws 20 are adapted to raise and lower the bed l8.

Positioned on the bed l8 intermediate the innersurfaces of the standards l2 and -I4 is a roll supporting-bearing block 24. The bearing-blocks 24 are movable laterally in respect to the bed l8 and are movable vertically with the bed l8.

Journaled in the bearing blocks 24 parallel to the upper surface of the bed I8 is a pair of driven rolls 26. The driven rolls 26 are operably connected through an enclosed gear reduction train 28 to a drive shaft 39. The gear reduction train 28 is mounted for both vertical and horizontal movement with the driven rolls 26.

Projecting through each standard 12 and I4 and in operable association with the bearing blocks 24 is a worm driven screw 32. The worm driven screws 32 are joined for synchronous operation by a drive shaft 34. 36 is positioned on the shaft 34 to allow one screw 32 to remain idle while the other screw 32 is in operation. Suitable independent power is preferably employed for driving the shafts 22 and 34.

Slidably positioned in the standard I2 is a hinged bearing supporting member 38. The bearing 39 in the upper portion of the hinged member 38 when in operable position is located at a point above and centrally of the standard I2 as is best shown in Figure 2. The base of the hinged member 38 is mounted in ways located in thelower portion of the standard l2, as is clearly shown in Figure 2, and consequently is adapted to be moved, longitudinally of the machine to clear the bearing portion of the upper roll 42, as is best shown by the dotted lines in Figure 3, which then allows the upper portion thereof to be swung to the horizontal position, as is shown in solid lines in Figure 3. The horizontally movable bearing supporting member 38 permits the employment of a long, closely fitted, sleeve type bearing 39 which may be easily slid from the shaft, without first removing or releasing securing-nuts or the like, prior to being swung upon its pivot. This construction facilitates removal of finished work from the machine. The hinged bearing member 38 together with the upper portion 4| thereof may be locked'in vertical operable position by inserting a key or pin through the locking device 43.

Formed in the central portion of the standard l4 closely adjacent the top thereof is a roll supporting bearing 4|]. The bearing 40 is in alignment with the bearing 39 in theupper portion 4| of the hinged member 38.

Operably journaled in the bearings 39 and 40 is a forming roll 42. The forming roll 42 is preferably of-greaterdiameterthan the diameter of either of' the driven rolls 26.

Projecting from the end of the roll 42 to a point beyond the standard I4 is a tapered extension 44. The extension 44 is adapted to be employed to maintain the roll 42 horizontal when the bearing member 39 is moved to the discharge position. Suitable anchoring means 46 are employed for manually depressing the tapered end of the extension 44. The anchoring means 46 may consist of a standard extending upwardly from the end of ,machine, as shown in Figure 1. A suitable yoke engageable with the end of the extension 44 is positioned at the top of the standard. The yoke is adjustable vertically and being in engagement with the extension 44 is adapted, byexerting a downward pressure on the extension, to prevent the free end of the roll 42 from dropping when the bearing 39 is removed.

Secured to a platform 48 on the base I is a stationary bearing member 50; The bearing.

A suitable clutch member 56 is in operable association with the outermost end of the drive shaft 30. Suitable universals 52, 52 are provided on the drive shaft 30 to take up misalignment due to vertical or horizontal adjustment of the driven rolls 26.

Slidably positioned on the upper surface of the bed 3 are cradled supporting rolls 54. The cradled supporting rolls 54 are adapted to move with and support the central portions of the driven rolls 26.

The improved device of this invention may be operated as follows: A section'of material to be formed is inserted into the machine between the driven rolls 26 and the forming roll 42. For this purpose the rolls are preferably positioned as shown in Fig. 7. The driven rolls 26 are then raised and the machine started and the section rolled to diameter. As the trailing edge of the section approaches the leading driven roll, the

machine may be stopped and the driven rolls shifted to substantially the location shown in Fig. 8. It is to be noted that the centers of the forming roll, the leading driven roll which is the roll nearest the trailing edge of the section, and the material being formed are in alignment as is clearly shown by the center line in Fig. 8. Thus, -the edge of the section is prevented from moving away from the surface of the forming roll.

After the section has been rolled to diameter, including that portion of the section closely adjacent the trailing edge thereof, the position of the driven rolls isaltered so that the center of the opposite roll, which is the left roll as shown in Fig. 9, is in alignment with the centers of the forming roll and the material being formed. The machine is then reversed and the section rolled back to its starting or leading edge. The flat surfaces closely adjacent the leading and trailing edges of the section are completely ironed out thus producing a full circle as is best shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9.

'It will be apparent from the foregoing that the lateral shifting of the driven rolls moves the supporting surfaces of the roll almost directly beneath the central portion of theforming roll. Thus,' the edge of the section being rolled is formed before it can follow the downwardly traveling contour of the driven roll or move away from the surface of the forming roll.

It will also be apparent that costly welding or other securing of the edges of the section one to the other may be entirely dispensed with.

It will be further apparent from the foregoing that herein is provided an efiicient and economically operated machine which may be successfully employed in rolling full circle work, either cylindrical or conical without removing the material from the machine or securing the adjacent edges while the material is in the machine.

It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the improved device appertains that'numerous changes and alterations in construction may be made without departing'from the spirit and scope of this invention. Accordingly, the patent granted hereon'is not to be limited to the preferred embodiment here shown nor in any other manner except as is necessitated by the terminology of the appended claims when given the range of equivalents to which they may be entitled.

. I claim as my invention:

1. In a machine for forming sheet and plate metal sectionsja plurality of rolls disposed normally in. pyramid formation, the lower rolls of the base of said pyramid being spaced apart and parallel, means for moving in unison the lower rolls of said pyramid formation both vertically and horizontally in respect to said upper roll without disturbing their spacing, and means movable with said lower rolls for supporting the intermediate portions thereof.

2. In a machine for rolling sheet and plate metal sections, a pair of driven rolls disposed in permanently spaced parallel relation, said rolls being operably associated for simultaneous rotation in either direction, said pair of rolls being horizontally adjustable in relation to the longitudinal center of said machine, a supporting member engageable with the peripheral surface of each roll intermediate the ends thereof, said supporting members being movable only in conjunction with the adjustment movement of said rolls, a forming roll disposed above and parallel said pair of driven rolls, the axis of said forming roll being fixed, and means for raising and lowering said driven rolls.

3. In a machine for rolling sheet and plate metal sections, a pair of driven rolls disposed in spaced parallel relation, said rolls being operably geared for simultaneous rotation in either direction, said rolls being movable in unison transversely of said machine, means preventing the relative movement of said rolls, and a supporting cradle positioned under said pair of driven rolls intermediate the ends thereof, said supporting cradle being in engagement and adjustable with said driven rolls.

4. In a machine for forming sheet and plate metal sections, a plurality of rolls disposed normally in pyramid formation, the rolls at the base of said pyramid being in permanently spaced parallel relation to each other, means for altering said formation without changing the spacing of the bottom rolls to bring the top roll in substantially vertical aligmnent with either one of the bottom rolls, and means for supporting the central portions of said bottom rolls, said means comprising a cradle member having portions thereof in engagement with the peripheral surface of the intermediate portion of each of the rolls at the base of said pyramid.

5. In a machine for rolling sheet and plate metal sections, a vertically movable table, a pair of bearing blocks positioned one on each end of said table, said bearing blocks being movable transversely of said table, a pair of driven rolls journaled in said blocks, said rolls being movable vertically in conjunction with said movable table and movable horizontally independently of said table, means for supporting the central portions of said driven rolls, said supporting means being movable in conjunction with the adjustment movement of said rolls to maintain a supporting association therebetween, and a forming roll operably disposed above said pair of driven rolls, the axis of said forming roll being fixed in relation to said machine.

6. In a machine for rolling sheet and plate metal sections, a vertically movable table, a pair of bearing blocks positioned one on each end of said table, said bearing blocks being movable transversely of said table, a pair of driven rolls journaled in said blocks, automatically adjustable means for supporting the intermediate portions of said rolls, a forming roll operably disposed above said pair of driven rolls, a vertical standard at each end of said forming roll into which said forming roll is journaled, and means for moving one of said standards longitudinally of said machine to disengage it from journaled association with said forming roll.

'7. In a machine for rolling sheet and plate metal sections, a vertically movable table, a pair of bearing blocks positioned one on each end of said table, said bearing blocks being movable transversely of said table, a pair of driven rolls journaled in said blocks, said blocks preventing relative movement of said rolls, a cradle sup porting member operably. engaging said rolls intermediate the ends thereof, said cradle member being adjustable with said rolls, a forming roll operably disposed above said pair of driven rolls, a vertical standard at each end of said forming roll, one of said standards being mounted upon ways and movable longitudinally of said machine, said standard being hinged intermediate the top and bottom thereof, a bearing adjacent the top of each standard into Which said forming roll is journaled, said ways and said hinge providing means whereby the hinged standard may be moved horizontally to clear the roll shaft and the upper part thereof then be swung to a horizontal plane. I

WILLIAM R. BEATTY. 

